Upholstered furniture



May 11, 1965 F. K-AHIu.

- UPI-IOLSTERED FURNITURE Filed July 5, 1962 N *INVENTOR; REDERICK K.HILL United States Patent 3,183,036 UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE Frederick K.Hiil, Redwood City, Calif. (1071 Alderbrook Lane, San Jose, Calif.)Filed July 3, 1962, Ser. No. 207,285 4 Ciaims. (Cl. 297-441)) Myinvention relates to seating furniture and more especially to articlessuch as chairs, sofas and the like having leg, back, arm, and seatsections detachably secured to one another in a novel manner whichpermits quick assembly and disassembly.

It is an object of this invention to provide articles of knockdownfurniture in which the back sections are supported by and between thearm sections by means of horizontally extensible and contractibleconnections, and in which the seat-supporting section serves toreleasably lock the horizontal connections in contracted position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a knockdown article ofseating-furniture of the type mentioned above having a seat sectionconfined for movement substantially along a horizontal path disposedtransversely of the back section thereof whereby the available seatingarea may be varied, in combination with means for detaching the seatsection from the chair when moved horizontally to its foremost position.

A further object of this invention is to provide means whereby theexterior fabric covering of upholstered chairs and sofas may be removedeasily for cleaning and subsequently replaced.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent as the detailed description thereof proceeds. The descriptionis to be read with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which likereference numerals indicate like parts, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a chair according to the present invention,showing the major components thereof in exploded positions;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the back section of the chair;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one of the chair arm sections;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the chair seat, looking at the edgesand underside thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the seat-supporting section or platform andtaken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE,6 is a detail view, typical of the manner in which the legs,platform, and arms of the chair are detachably secured to one another,and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional detail view illustrating the manner of insertingand removing the seat section from the platform.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 11 denotes arelatively flat chair back, 12 and 12a the chair arms, 13 the chairseat, 14 the seat platform, and 15 the chair legs, all of said membersbeing partially assembled in FIGURE 1 for the purpose of illustration.

When the chair components shown in FIGURE 1 have been completelyassembled, the back section 11 is supported edgewise by and between arms12 and 12a by means of horizontally extensible and contractibleconnections, said connections consisting of two round thinwalled metaltubes or rods 15 and 17 which are inserted horizontally through theback, the opposite ends of said tubes protruding beyond opposite sidesof the back. The protruding ends of tubes 16 and 17 penetrate horizontalholes or apertures 20 and 21 in arms 12 and 12a and engage the frameworkin the arms to support the back section 11.

Each of the arms 12 and 12a is provided with an upholstery fabric cover18, said cover being removably mounted on the arms by means of a slidefastener 19 to the following procedure:

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extending from the upper portion of the arm to the bottom (FIGURE 3).The bottom inside and outside edges of the fabric upholstery cover 18are hemmed as at 24 and 25 so as to accommodate a pair of metal rods 22.These rods are inserted into the respective hems from the front towardthe back of the arms, said hems being cut away as at 28 to expose therods 22. Hook fasteners 23 engage the rods 22 at the opposed cut awayportions 28 to secure the cover in installed position.

Holes 26 and 27 are provided in the framework of the bottom of arms 12and 12m to permit insertion of vertically disposed threaded leg bolts35, each of said bolts having the lower end thereof threadably securedin a leg 15 and the upper end projecting upwardly from and alinedlongitudinally with the leg. It will be observed in FIG- URES l and 6that holes 26 and 27 each have secured therein a pressed metal insert 36having a swaged hole in its center. This hole is threaded to receive theprojecting threaded end of leg bolt 35. Inserts 36 are countersunk inthe arm framework at the top of holes 26 and 27.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the chair seat 13 in detached positionand showing the exposed bottom surface. Attached to the framework of theseat bottom and at the rear thereof are L-shaped brackets 29 which arepreferably made of metal, each of said brackets having legs 2% and 29b.Leg 29a of each bracket is secured to the side edge of seat 13 as at29c, and the other leg 29]) of each bracket extends inwardly beneath theseat bottom. Legs 2% are substantially alined with one another andspaced from the lower surface of the seat 13 a distance somewhat greaterthan the thickness of seat-supporting platform 14 for the reasons statedin detail below (FIG- URE 7).

FIGURE 5 shows the platform 14 detached from the chair. The platform ispreferably made of laminated Wood or of metallic extrusions formed andshaped to accomplish the purpose intended. L-shaped slots 34 are cut inplatform 14 to accommodate seat brackets 29, each of said slots having along leg 34a and a short leg 34!).

When the chair parts are assembled as shown in FIG- URE 6, the upper endof a leg bolt 35 penetrates each of the holes 3%, 3 1, 3.2, and 33 inplatform 14 as Well as each hole 26 and 27 in the chair arms 12 and12.1, the upper end of each bolt being threadably secured in previouslydescribed metal insert 36. Legs 15 are preferably made of wood or lightmetal.

In order to assemble the seat 13 upon seat-supporting section orplatform 14, the front end of the seat is elevated as shown .in FIGURE 7and the bracket legs 2% are inserted through platform leg slots 34b; andthen the front end of the seat is lowered to permit legs 2% to slidebeneath the platform and rearwardly and horizontally of the chair to thedesired position.

Disassembly of the chair is accomplished according The seat 13 is movedforwardly and horizontally of the assembled chair until bracket legs 2%substantially coincide with leg slots 34b in platform 34. The front edgeof the seat is then lifted into an approximately vertical position withrelatibn to platform 14 during which the bracket legs 2% will passupwardly through slots 34b to thus permit the seat to be lifted from theplatform. Next, the chair is laid upon its side with arm 12, forexample, resting upon a horizontal surface. In this position, the twouppermost legs 15 are exposed for easy manipulation. The uppermost legs15 and their respective threaded bolts 35 are then turned to becomedisengaged from inserts 3 6 and withdrawn from the holes in the chairarm and platform. With the uppermost arm 1 2a thus detached fromplabfor-m 14, the arm can be withdrawn from the uppermost ends of tubingmembers 1 6 and 17 so that 53 the back 11 and the lower end of thetubing members can be lifted from the lowermost arm 12.

*Next, the lowermost arm 12 is detached from platform 14 by removal ofthe remaining lowermost legs 15 in the same manner as previouslydescribed in connection with the uppermost legs, thereby completing thedisassembly of the back, arms, seat, seat platform and legs of thechair.

The exterior upholstery fabric covering 18 is removed from arms 12 and12a as follows: The arm 12, for example, is placed on a horizontalsurface with its inside positioned upwardly so as to expose slidefastener 19. The handle of the slide fastener is moved toward the bottomof the arm to release the joined edges of the fabric. Next, the hooks 23are detached from rods 22 to permit the latter to be withdrawn fromtheir respective hems 24 and 25. The fabric 18 is now loosened andremoved from the arm of the chair. It is understood that the upholsterystufiing materials are held in position by suitable means such as aninner cover of light-weight muslin, which inner cover is ordinarily notremoved but installed as a permanent part of the arm.

Exterior upholstery fabrics on the back and seat are held in positionsimilarly to that of the arm but without slide fasteners. It will benoted in FIGURE 4, that a plurality of hooks 23 are employed to fastenthe cover on seat 13, one end of each hook being secured to rod 22 andthe other end to the seat bottom surface as at 230.

Assembly of the component parts of the chair is accomplished byreversing the above-described process of disassembly.

It is to be particularly noted that all assembly and disassemblyprocesses described above are accomplished without the aid of tools orwrenches, employing manual means only.

While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, itis understood that the same is capable of modifications within the scopeand spirit of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a knockdown article of furniture having a plurality of supportingleg members, a horizontally disposed seat platform member, a pair ofvertically disposed side arm members, and a relatively flat verticallydisposed back member, the combination of horizontally releasable meansfor supporting said back member edgewise by and between said armmembers, said means including at least one horizontally disposed rodextending through and having its opposite ends projecting beyond theopposite edges of said back member, the proximate faces of said sidemembers having alined apertures therein for receiving said projectingrod ends; and vertically releasable means carried by said leg membersand penetrating said platform member for locking said projecting rodends of the back member in the alined apertures of said side members.

2. In a knockdown article of furniture having a pair of verticallydisposed side arm members and a vertically disposed and relatively flatback member, the combination of horizontally releasable means forsupporting said back member edgewise by and between said arm members,said means including a pair of parallel horizontally disposed rodsconnected to and having their respective opposite ends projecting beyondthe opposite edges of said back member, the proximate faces of said sidemembers having a-lined apertures therein for receiving said projectingrod ends; a platform member for supporting said arm members, leg membersfor supporting said platform member, and means for releasably lockingsaid back and arm members in supported position, said last-named meansincluding vertically disposed bolts extending from said leg members,through said platform member, and into said arm members.

3. In an article of furniture as defined in claim 2 and furthercomprising a seat mounted upon said plat form member for movement in ahorizontally disposed path rearwardly toward and forwardly away fromsaid back member, interengaging means between the rear portion of saidseat and said platform member for confining the seat substantially insaid path during said forward and rearward seat movement, and meansoperable in the foremost position of said seat for releasing saidinterengaging means whereby said seat is detached from said platform.

4. In a knockdown article of furniture having a horizontally disposedseat platform member, a pair of vertically disposed side arm members,and a relatively fiat vertically disposed back member, the combinationof horizontally releasable means for supporting said back memberedgewise by and between said arm members, vertically releasable meansincluding said platform member for releasably locking said horizontallyreleasable means in supporting position, said platform having at leastone slot extending rearwardly toward said back member, a seat mounted onsaid platform member and having a projection extending downwardly fromthe rear portion of the latter through said slot whereby said seat isguided for movement in a horizontally disposed path rearwardly towardand forwardly away from said back member, and a laterally extendingprojection on the lower end of said first projection for confining thelatter in said slot during forward and rearward movement of said seatmember, said platform member having a second slot at the front end ofsaid first slot and coincidable with said laterally extending projectionwhereby the seat may be released from said platform member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,256,936 2/18Shaver 297-337 2,145,669 1/39 Thompson 297-218 2,151,985 3/98 Munroe297-440 2,170,224 8/39 Tar-r 297-218 2,446,185 8/48 Masucoi et a1297-337 3,066,982 12/62 Brower 297-440 3,102,756 9/63 Strasser 297-452FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A KNOCKDOWN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE HAVING A PLURALITY OF SUPPORTINGLEG MEMBERS, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SEAT PLATFORM MEMBER, A PAIR OFVERTICALLY DISPOSED SIDE ARM MEMBERS, AND A RELATIVELY FLAT VERTICALLYDISPOSED BACK MEMBER, THE COMBINATION OF HORIZONTALLY RELEASABLE MEANSFOR SUPPORTING SAID BACK MEMBER EDGEWISE BY AND BETWEEN SAID ARMMEMBERS, SAID MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED RODEXTENDING THROUGH AND HAVING ITS OPPOSITE ENDS PROJECTING BEYOND THEOPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID BACK MEMBER, THE PROXIMATE FACES OF SAID SIDEMEMBERS HAVING ALINED APERTURES THEREIN FOR RECEIVING SAID PROJECTINGROD ENDS; AND VERTICALLY RELEASABLE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID LEG MEMBERSAND PENETRATING SAID PLATFORM MEMBER FOR LOCKING SAID PROJECTING RODENDS OF THE BACK MEMBER IN THE ALINED APERTURES OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS.